The Firewood Jollof Festival 2025 successfully concluded last weekend, attracting thousands of attendees from across Africa and beyond. The event, themed “Unifying African Jollof,” showcased a vibrant celebration of African culture, featuring food, fashion, music, art, and traditional games. Held at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, the festival has solidified its position as a premier annual cultural event in Africa. The 2025 edition demonstrated the power of cultural unity and culinary excellence, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.
The Firewood Jollof Festival was launched in 2024 to celebrate Nigeria’s rich culinary heritage through the beloved dish, Jollof rice. What began as a celebration of local flavours has evolved into a major cultural phenomenon, uniting people through food, music, and shared experiences. The 2025 theme shifts the focus from rivalry of who has the best Jollof to collaboration as the festival enabled guests to taste other variety of Jollof rice like Ghanaian Jollof prepared by Ghanaian chefs. The festival is aiming to elevate Jollof rice to a globally celebrated culinary treasure that unites Africans and food lovers worldwide.
Speaking at the event, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Firewood Jollof Nigeria, Chizoma Chukwueke described Firewood Jollof as more than a food festival. “It is a platform that drives local business, tourism, and cultural exchange. Last year, we supported small vendors and attracted about 10,000 visitors from different states and some from beyond our shores. This year, we have surpassed that expectation from the crowd we see which is more than last year.”
According to the Head, Regional Branch Operations, Firewood Jollof, Feyisayo Akeotu, “we are surprised that people came out this early even before we started just to be part of this. We are showcasing four different jollofs – we have the Ghanaian Jollof, Senegalese Jollof, Sierra Leonean Jollof and of course the Nigerian Jollof stands, all prepared by their various country chefs. Rather than competing we are collaborating as Africans hence the theme “Unifying African Jollof. This year we have other countries participate and we have gone beyond Jollof to accommodate fashion, technology, music, and others.”
Access Bank, the lead sponsor for the 2025 edition, by sponsoring the festival has once again reaffirmed its commitment to supporting small businesses and creative enterprises across Nigeria. The festival also enjoyed sponsorship from MTN, Nestlé, and Devon King’s Oil, brands that share the festival’s philosophy of empowering and promoting small businesses. The venue was filled with small businesses that showcased their wares to premium customers who patronised them.
The festival started at 10 am in the morning and ended at 10 pm in the evening with live performance by musicians who thrilled the crowd with sonorous songs that kept everyone asking for more.
Assistant Brand Manager, Devon Kings, Voke Emeje, representing one of the sponsors of the event this year said “Firewood Jollof Festival is a perfect fit for us as a brand because Devon King Oil is a taste that binds and we go beyond nourishment. Devon Kings brings people together through delicious Nigerian dishes and that is the experience people are having at the Firewood Jollof Festival. Devon Kings was part of the inaugural edition of Firewood Jollof Festival because we saw the vision and how it aligned to our own goals.”
The Firewood Jollof Festival celebrates heritage through Jollof rice; a dish enjoyed across the continent. The event was a meeting hub for celebrities and food influencers like Sisi Yemi, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Sir Shina Peters, Tomilke, Chef Tolu, Diary of a Kitchen Lover among others.
The 2025 edition exceeded all expectations, setting the bar high for an even bigger and better 2026 edition.
COMMENTS